Incredible footage has been released by the U.S. Coast Guard as a helicopter crew soared over Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and flew around rescuing people from the driveway of their homes.
Video released by the U.S. Coast Guard sees a heroic MH-65 Dolphin Crew fly to Sanibel Island, which was essentially cut off after Hurricane Ian’s wind and storm surge tore it to shreds.
The disaster prompted a massive rescue effort, some of which was captured in a video posted online by the rescuers.
Wearing a GoPro on his helmet, Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Kilbane is lowered into one of the neighborhoods ravaged by the storm to find a young man by the name of Colin, together with his grandmother, standing in the driveway of their home alongside the family dog.
U.S. Coast Guard shows a Miami-based aircrew in a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter rescue several people from cut off Sanibel Island in southwest Florida
A number of rescues are depicted including one of a grandmother, grandson and their dog
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Kilbane tells the young man that he did a good job signaling for help from the ground
The family appears delighted that rescuers have finally come to their aide
The grandmother is next to be placed into the rescue basket
The woman clings on tight before being hoisted up into the helicopter
‘You did good!’ Kilbane told the pair as he commended them for getting the attention of the crew using a reflector.
The guardsman asks them if they knew of anyone else who had been left in the neighborhood, to which the residents answer that they did not.
The woman was the first to be placed into the rescue basket which was then hoisted into the chopper a few hundred feet above.
Kilbane then came back to retrieve the pet dog together with grandson Colin who were next to climb into the basket to be airlifted to safety.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Kilbane gives the signal for the basket to be raised up
Colin is seen to be clutching onto his pet dog while sitting in the rescue basket
Petty Officer Kilbane’s crew welcome him back on board the rescue helicopter
Colin holds his dog close to him before being hoisted onboard the chopper
Next, the crew moves on to rescue another couple who are trapped in their homes surrounded by floodwaters.
Tyler informs them that there are thousands that need to be rescued.
He advises them to pack a bag with dry clothes and to remember to take their cellphones, wallets and IDs.
The couple evacuates through an open window and takes their family cat with them before they too are hoisted away.
The Coast Guard has described their rescue effort as a military operation. With not everybody having access to cellphone communications, some have had to resort to signaling for help from the ground using mirrors and pieces of glass.
Crews fly low over communities that are completely cut off by the floodwaters
A man comes out of a home in knee deep water with the hope of being rescued
In a second rescue a woman is airlifted alongside a pet carrier containing her cat
The woman is seen grabbing hold of her pat carrier moments before lift off
She can be seen both gripping the sides of the rescue basket and bracing herself for what is to come
In another rescue, a man greets the arrival of Tyler with a warm handshake. The neighborhood appears devastated, with fallen trees surrounding the area.
The man, by the name of Rick, allows his wife to get into the basket first.
The helicopter’s rescue basket descends to allow her to get in before she is given earplugs to wear and is reassured that ‘they’ll take care of you.’
‘Hang on tight!’ he yells before she is hoisted away.
Her husband is next to leave their damaged home wearing just a t-shirt, shorts, and a baseball cap.
The chopper can be seen hovering above as he walks along a driveway caked in sand washed ashore by the storm surge.
The basket lowers and he clambers aboard, looking at Tyler once more for reassurance before the is reunited with his wife aboard the copter.
A married couple are next to be airlifted from a home surrounded by fallen trees and driveway caked in sand washed ashore by the storm surge
A man welcomed the crew with a warm handshake as he meets Tyler
The man’s wife is first to be rescues as she is placed into the basket and hold on
A man is next to be rescued and grabs hold of a bag containing the bare essentials including a set of dry clothes
Both fear and delight can be seen across the man’s face as he is winched up to safety
Tyler and his crew mate fist bump one another after a round of rescues well done